Summertime has arrived! As the weather heats up, more and more people will pack their beach bags or embark on overseas trips. While you think about itineraries and sun hats, take the time to consider how you’ll protect your engagement ring this summer.

Sand, chlorine, and checked baggage all introduce elements of danger to your precious sparkler. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide: to help you care for your engagement ring.

Use the following tips to keep your ring looking shiny and new. We’re here to help you enjoy it to the fullest.

Pack Carefully

Whether you take off on a spontaneous weekend holiday or plan an extended trip well ahead of time, it’s tempting to toss all of your jewellery together when you pack. Be careful. A diamond can scratch a pearl, and bracelets and necklaces can tangle with your rings.

To cushion your jewellery, consider packing fine jewellery in individual soft cloth pouches or lined jewellery boxes. If you intend to take an assortment of jewellery on your trip, consider purchasing a jewellery travel organiser with secure bags for each item. A reliable organiser will prevent scratching, dulling and the tangling of chains. For added protection, you can wrap your engagement ring in tissue paper if you won’t be wearing it during your travel.

Never Put Valuables in Checked Baggage

When you fly this summer, keep your engagement ring and other valuables with you at all times. You lose control over checked baggage, and airlines can’t guarantee the safety of your items. 

If you’re not comfortable wearing your engagement ring while you travel, keep it safely stowed away in your cabin baggage and within your sight and reach.

For those travelling overseas for a romantic, faraway wedding proposal, make sure you have the ring insured before you leave home. And avoid moments of panic by keeping the ring packed safely in the bag you always keep with you.

Leave the Sand Castles to the Children

Sandpaper is highly effective at removing wooden splinters and smoothing out coarse drywall. That same sand can scratch your engagement ring while you play on the beach.

When choosing your jewellery for the day, think about the day’s itinerary. If you are at the beach, make plans to store your engagement safely away. Otherwise, you may have to choose between diving in and putting your jewellery at risk.

Don’t Leave It In Your Hotel Room

You may feel extremely comfortable in your hotel room, but don’t leave your jewellery there unattended. Too many people have access to the room. If you plan to leave your engagement room at the hotel during your holiday, confirm ahead of your trip that you’ll have access to a safe deposit box during your stay.

Sunbathe Without Your Ring

Sunscreens and suntan lotions often contain elements that can damage fine jewellery. Some creams leave a residue on gemstones that can reduce the gem’s brilliance. Others contain chemicals that can bleach certain jewellery elements. If your engagement ring does get coated with sunscreen, follow our cleaning tips to refresh it and let its brilliance shine through once more.

Remove Your Ring for Swimming

Beaches can be dangerous places for engagement rings. When you dive into the water, your hands become cold, and your ring can slip right off your finger. Drop a ring on a sandy beach, and you may never find it again. Even at the pool, your ring could be damaged by chlorine, which can cause the gemstones to erode and lose their polish.

To avoid all of these potential problems, safely stow your ring away on days when you plan on swimming this summer.

Wear Gloves When Gardening

Better yet, remove your engagement ring when you are digging around in the dirt. Anyone who plants flowers or vegetables know that it’s impossible to know when you’ll encounter a rock or root under the soil’s surface. Don’t scratch your diamond or risk bending a prong out of shape. 

If you must wear your ring, cover it up with high-quality gardening gloves. And if your ring is exposed to the soil, clean it when you’re done working. Dirt can wedge its way into your setting and loosen the stone over time. A soft toothbrush can help you to remove dirt from hard-to-reach crevices. At the end of the summer, you may want to take your engagement ring to your family jeweller for a professional cleaning.

Take Care with These Sports

Most athletic activities won’t harm your engagement ring any more than your regular daily activities (think running, football and yoga). Others, however, could put your sparkler at risk. If you want to reduce your ring’s risk of damage, avoid wearing it when participating in these sports:

• Weightlifting
• Racquet sports (tennis, squash, racquetball, etc.)
• Rock climbing
• Boxing
• Volleyball
• Water skiing
• Boating
• Snorkelling

Beware of Cleaning Products

Summer is a great time for cleaning. You can air out your home, wash everything down and prepare for next winter. But as you clean, consider your ring.

Some everyday cleaning products, such as bleach and acetone, can erode alloys in precious metals. So if you have a white gold, yellow gold or rose gold ring, keep it away from harsh cleaning products.

Protect Your Ring with Q Report Jewellery Insurance

Despite your best efforts to protect your engagement ring, the unexpected sometimes happens. Diamonds fall out of settings during carefree summer days, and metal incurs scratches during a rough-and-scramble hike up a mountain. 

That’s why we provide jewellery insurance for our customers. No matter how far you travel this summer, we’ll protect your ring from damage, theft and loss. With our agreed value policies, you’ll always be able to replace or repair your ring, even returning to your family jeweller if that’s what you choose. 

Get an instant quote to learn how affordable it can be to protect your favourite piece of jewellery. Then you can enjoy this summer to the fullest, wherever the sun takes you.